


Lavender

by Blurrygorl (blurrygorl)



Category: Twenty One Pilots
Genre: Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Forced Cohabitation, Guns, Implied Violence, M/M, Psychological Torture, Stockholm Syndrome
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-10
Updated: 2019-12-10
Packaged: 2021-02-26 17:34:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,499
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21742243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blurrygorl/pseuds/Blurrygorl
Summary: “D’you think I’d really kill you?”Tyler doesn’t know, so he doesn’t answer.
Relationships: Josh Dun/Tyler Joseph
Comments: 17
Kudos: 30





	Lavender

**Author's Note:**

  * For [nagitosguts](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nagitosguts/gifts).



“We’re going for a walk,” Josh speaks with a jarring finality, like it’s something that must be done, something that’s not his choice.

Tyler doesn’t move much when the chains are taken from his wrists. It’s been days since he’d eaten, days since he’s even seen Josh.

He cradles his left arm close to his chest when the cuffs hit the cement below him. 

Josh snatches his hand away and forces it back down by his side.

“Quit doing that,” 

Tyler looks up at him with soft eyes and mouths an apology.

“I told you it’s not broken anymore, didn’t I?” Josh huffs.

“It still hurts,” Tyler is surprised by the rasp in his voice. He swallows thickly and fights the urge comfort his crooked bones. 

“Is it nice out?” Tyler asks while he follows Josh up through the cellar door, the sun blinding.

Josh smiles.

“It doesn’t really matter,”

They walk in silence, through trees and weeds and spurs that latch onto Josh’s boots and Tyler’s bare feet. 

Tyler doesn’t try to run, hasn’t tried to run, not for a long time. He’s got scars and burns and a left radius that never healed right to remind him not to run. So he doesn’t, he’s a shadow now, attached to Josh like he was stitched there. Quiet and inoffensive and soft and everything else Josh wanted him to be. 

Josh stops walking at the edge of a small clearing so suddenly that Tyler collides into his back. 

“M’sorry,” Tyler mutters, paying too much attention to the ground to see Josh yank a rusty shovel out of the earth. Tyler wipes sweat from his forehead and finally glances up at Josh when the shovel is thrust into his hands. 

Josh turns and waits for a line of questions if there is one. The act of turning his back now that Tyler is more or less armed isn’t even something he considers. 

“What am I-what am I supposed to do?” 

Josh faces him again, “You’re supposed to start digging.” 

Despite the sweat and the glaring sun, Tyler feels cold. 

“Why?”

“Because I’m going to bury your body here,” Josh replies smoothly, before a horde of cicadas screams in the trees around them. 

Tyler sniffles and looks down at the tool in his hands. In anyone else’s hands it could be used to hurt, to kill. The dirty blade could be plunged into a skull or a soft throat, easily. The broad side could rattle grey matter to mush.

In Tyler’s hands, however, it’s merely an extension of Josh. 

“Did I do something wrong?” Tyler asks so softly, always ready to take blame, always ready to punish himself before anyone else can. 

Josh hums and shakes his head. 

The shovel begins it’s many dips into the earth and Josh thinks the gritting crunching sound is relaxing, he watches while the soil is tossed to the side. 

Tyler keeps his eyes down. He doesn’t know how to dig a grave and finds himself more worried about that embarrassment than the fact that Josh will kill him soon. 

He listens to the cicadas and avoids Josh’s eyes. 

“How are you going to do it?”

“I haven’t decided yet,” 

“Oh,” is all Tyler can think to say, and then a few moments later, “Why?”

Josh understands what he’s asking, takes a second to come up with something and decides on, 

“I’m just bored of you,” 

Tyler winces, partially from the words he just heard and partially because the last strike against the ground sent a shock up his left arm. 

“Maybe I could just go home,” Tyler muses quietly, not even half believing that to be an option. Josh laughs, but not because it’s funny, not really. 

“Six months ago, maybe. Not now. I’ve done too much to you,” He says squatting against a tree. 

“I wouldn’t tell,” Tyler promises.

“I know you wouldn’t,” 

Tyler blinks a few tears out of his eyes because he can hardly see what he’s doing anymore. He stares down at the dirt and wonders what will grow out of him once he’s in the ground. He’d hope for lavender but there are no flowers in sight. 

No more than a silent hour later and Tyler is all but drained, he can barely keep himself upright. Josh watches him, amused. 

“If you can’t get it any deeper, the animals will have you dug up by tomorrow,” 

Tyler sniffs and wipes his face leaving a stripe of dirt in the place of the sweat. 

“I can’t do it anymore, I need water,” he speaks gingerly, trying desperately to keep any anger or hint of command out of his voice. He leans down resting his hands on his knees and feels more sweat drip off his nose. It’s too hot.

Tyler peels his t-shirt off and discards it before continuing to dig, knowing his complaints will be ignored. 

He doesn’t speak again until Josh does. The sun is behind the trees now. Tyler looks down at his shaking, bleeding, blistered palms in the golden hour light, and his lips tremble pitifully. 

“Are you done?” Josh asks getting close for the first time all day. Tyler looks up at him and then around himself. He’s dug a little bit past his waist. 

“I-I don’t know,” Tyler babbles still fighting the sweat and dirt that covers his face. Surely Josh could see how hard he’s tried. Surely he could appreciate the effort despite Tyler’s lack of shoes and gloves, despite the fact that he was dehydrated and probably only a few pounds away from emaciation. 

“Can you lay down in it?” 

Tyler looks up at Josh, brow furrowed and jaw clenched so hard his teeth hurt and add to the migraine he could feel coming. 

“Can I kiss you goodbye?” Tyler manages to say, wringing his hands together. 

Josh rolls his eyes but crouches down and that’s enough. Tyler is nearly eye to eye with him. Josh tips Tyler’s chin up and kisses him, it’s soft, almost adolescent because Josh is letting Tyler do all the work. He licks into Josh’s mouth submissively, in an attempt at a desperate wordless love letter. He’s not afraid to die, Tyler thinks death would be a nice place to rest. 

He’s afraid of more pain, he’s afraid of the fear that comes with it. He’s so tired of being afraid.

Finally Josh pushes him backwards and he falls on his back. He tries to sit up but Josh demands he stays still. 

Tyler closes his eyes and tears soak his eyelashes. 

“Keep them open,” Josh says evenly. And when Tyler obeys, he sees the gun Josh keeps tucked into his belt, pointing right at him. 

Tyler doesn’t feel anything at all until Josh pulls the trigger. Tyler screams, he screams so loud but he can’t hear anything but ringing and he can’t feel anything but splash of dirt hit his cheek because the bullet hit nothing but the ground beside his head. 

The ringing isn’t letting up but he can see Josh laughing at the edge of the shallow grave. 

Tyler has forgotten how to breathe and blinks hard a few times, trying to stop shaking. After a few seconds he loses control and he cries, big hiccuping sobs that he still can’t hear. He can feel them rattling in his chest though. 

He’s being dragged out of the hole in the ground and gets pulled up to his knees. Tyler grits crooked teeth and opens his eyes. The ringing is so loud but he hears Josh, hears him say his name. 

“I’m here,” Tyler whispers, clasping his hands around his own skull. 

“Can you hear me?” 

Tyler nods, letting his eyes fall shut again. He feels nauseated. His hands and his head are pounding like a sore heartbeat. 

He feels a hand push his hair back. He opens his eyes and Josh is leaning over him, smiling softly. 

“D’you think I’d really kill you?”

Tyler doesn’t know so he doesn’t answer. 

“Just needed to know how far you’ll go for me, baby,” he’s still smiling, his teeth bright and his eyes so, so soft, like this has all been a silly misunderstanding.

Tyler starts to cry again and Josh’s fingers tighten in his hair. Not enough to hurt, but to demand attention. Tyler stills for the most part, looking up at Josh and occasionally sucking in a breath that makes his whole stomach jump.

“You’d die for me wouldn’t you?” Josh’s voice is sweet, coaxing. He’s godlike in the dimming sunlight. 

Tyler nods frantically. 

“You’d do anything I asked?” 

Tyler hasn’t stopped nodding since the first question. Josh’s eyes crinkle up as he thumbs a tear off Tyler’s sunburnt cheek. 

It was all a game, a test, and Tyler can’t think to do anything but accept that. Accept it and be grateful that’s it’s over for now. 

Josh stands up straight and Tyler hears him say something about going home. 

Tyler wants to go home.

**Author's Note:**

> draw your own conclusions i guess  
> ???
> 
> this idea popped into my little head and i wanted to gift it to my fucked up story god cherryblur so here it is
> 
> comments make me wanna die less lmao


End file.
